SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California
students rank among the lowest in the nation for
academic achievement - across all racial groups
- despite the state's many reform efforts,
according to a study released Monday.

The Rand Corp. study also finds
California's per-pupil spending is among the
lowest, and that its student-to-teacher ratio is
among the highest. The state also lags in
building schools.

The study was sponsored by the
California-based William and Flora Hewlett
Foundation, which funds social research.

While he said he wasn't surprised
by any single finding from the 18-month study,
lead researcher Steve Carroll said he was struck
by "the overall cascade of unhappy
observations."

Thirty years ago, residents
invested heavily in the public education system,
resulting in schools that were consistently
ranked among the nation's best, Carroll said. A
voter-approved property tax limit and a change
in how the state pays for schools, both passed
in the 1970s, cut public education spending and
led to a drop in quality, Carroll said.

The state also falls short in
comparisons with other states regarding the
share of personal income that goes toward public
education.